Hello, I'm Laura Chalkley, director and consultant at Chalkley Easterbee.

I took the plunge to move from the corporate world to setting up Chalkleys in 2014 as I was keen to both have a career and to be around more for my young family. Starting a business from scratch wasn't easy - but it's definitely been fun! I've learnt more than I ever imagined possible, and I love working alongside our amazing clients and getting stuck into understanding what makes their business numbers tick with them.

On to the experience and qualifications bit. I’m not just another accountant. As well as being a Chartered Management Accountant, I’m a Chartered Civil Engineer. Having worked in various non-financial roles before moving into accountancy means I really do get it when business owners look at their accounts and scratch their head. And this is why I know first hand it's critical to take time to sit with our clients and explain their numbers to them in plain English.

When I'm not working, I love being around my family and friends - and still absolutely treasure the flexibility that was my goal when I started out over 10 years ago!